Gold Coast GP Lisa Beecham pushes Covid vaccine race before Victorians sneak in
Doctors are pushing for Gold Coasters with even the slightest of Covid-19 symptoms to get the jab because “we don’t know how many other Victorians have snuck in”.
Gold Coast
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DOCTORS are pushing for Gold Coasters with even the slightest of Covid-19 symptoms to get the jab because “we don’t know how many other Victorians have snuck in”.
Robina GP and General Practice Gold Coast member Dr Lisa Beecham said residents should get the vaccination sooner rather than later because of the Sunshine Coast Covid cases.
“No matter how slight the symptoms are get tested and isolate, we don’t know how many other Victorians have snuck in,” she said.
“Also, we must remember we’re still in a pandemic so social distancing and good hand hygiene is important.
“For those not eligible to get the AstraZeneca or Pfizer vaccine yet, get the flu shot. But if you can get the Covid shot first — the AstraZeneca (AZ) is safe for over 50s, Pfizer for under 50s.”
Demand for both vaccines has increased at the Upper Coomera Respiratory Clinic, with Dr Sonu Haikerwal saying she’s “hopeful” the “get vaccinated” message is getting through.
“We’ve had huge demand, for both the AZ and Pfizer, and the nurses are doing a great job of educating people and delivering both vaccinations,” she said.
“They even had sashes made up showing which vaccine they would administer.”
There were no new cases of community transmission in Queensland on Friday morning, with 5953 tests undertaken in the 24 hours to 9am Friday. There were 11,348 Covid-19 vaccinations administered across the state in the same time period.
GP first to offer Pfizer Covid-19 jab to northern Gold Coasters
June 4, 2021
A NORTHERN Gold Coast respiratory clinic will deliver the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine from June 7, despite having 2000 doses of AstraZeneca sitting in the fridge.
The Upper Coomera Respiratory Clinic will open online bookings from 1.30pm on Friday for under 50s with medical conditions. To start with the practice will get 240 doses a week from the federal government.
Dr Sonu Haikerwal said 1b patients would get priority but she wouldn’t turn away over 50s and they were more likely to get a spot if booked later in the day.
“My ethical stance is that the more we vaccinate the better, no one should be turned away and three weeks to full vaccination is a very good outcome,” she said.
FULL DIGITAL ACCESS: JUST $1 A WEEK FOR FIRST 12 WEEKS
“We have over 2000 AstraZeneca doses in the fridge, I don’t want the same with Pfizer.”
It comes Gold Coast Health staff are gearing up for a big weekend of Covid-19 vaccinations at Gold Coast University Hospital’s Pfizer hub.
A spokesperson said the team had a full weekend of appointments of people who had registered online plus it would be vaccinating all aged workers. No walk-ins will be taken.
It’s understood appointments at the GCUH hub are fully booked for the next two weeks.
On Thursday Health Minister Yvette D’Ath said the government was opening 18 hubs across the state on June 5-6 to complete 15,000 vaccinations, particularly the state’s aged care workers. Ms D’Ath urged people aged 50 and over to still visit a GP to get the AstraZeneca vaccine.
A Gold Coast Health spokesperson said all aged care workers should show proof of employment at a residential aged care facility when coming for a vaccination at the GCUH over the weekend.
“We are thrilled to see the enthusiasm of Gold Coasters keen to receive the Covid-19 vaccine and urge people to register for a vaccination on the Queensland Health website.
“This is the fastest way to make an appointment and avoids the disappointment of waiting in line.”
Once people are registered online, appointments are allocated when they are available and depending on a person’s priority status it may take several days or weeks to get one.
Residents are being advised that bookings take priority and walk-ins to any Gold Coast Health vaccination clinic can expect extended wait times.
The Albert Waterways clinic in Broadbeach is open on Friday from 7am-2.45pm and closed on weekends.
PFIZER Covid JAB OPENS UP TO GOLD COASTERS OF ALL AGES
June 3
A SPIKE in demand for the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccination has prompted Gold Coast Health (GCH) to offer the jab to residents of all ages at the Albert Waterways Community Centre at Broadbeach.
It comes as hundreds of Gold Coasters have visited the Gold Coast University Hospital (GCUH) vaccination hub, some arriving at 4am and others waiting up to eight hours, to be vaccinated without an appointment.
Residents over 50 are still being advised to attend the city’s four respiratory clinics or their GP to receive the AstraZeneca vaccination.
FULL DIGITAL ACCESS: JUST $1 A WEEK FOR FIRST 12 WEEKS
A Gold Coast Health spokesperson said all residents could line-up without an appointment at the Broadbeach clinic, but queues would be long.
“The best option for people who prefer not to wait is to register for an appointment on the Queensland Health website,” she said.
Once registered people will be contacted with an email advising of available appointments. Patients in the first phase of the national rollout will be prioritised meaning it could be “a couple of weeks” for appointments to be set.
However, the move angered one woman in the stage 1b rollout who said Queensland Health’s registration system was a “joke”.
“If anyone can just rock up to get the shot then surely this is taking up spots that should be filled by people like myself,” said the 43-year-old who has a pre-existing medical condition.
“Why did I bother registering online? There’s definitely no incentive because it seems walk-ins are getting prioritised.
“How long much longer will I have to wait? I’ve already been waiting a week. Seems crazy that healthy people will get it ahead of me when I have a compromised immune system.”
Bulletin writer Ann Wason Moore rolled up her sleeve at Broadbeach on Wednesday morning.
The 44-year-old didn't have to show paperwork in regards to whether she was part of 1a or 1b in the national rollout.
“I just want to do my bit and get vaccinated, and so I can see my family in the US,” she said.
“They weren’t sure where I would be having my next one, someone told me I might have the second dose at Carrara.”
It’s understood GCH plans to open a mass vaccination centre somewhere close to transport hubs, with Metricon Stadium believed to be one of the possible locations. The health department did not respond to a question about this.
Study Gold Coast chief executive Alfred Slogrove walked in to the GCUH last week for the Pfizer jab.
“I fundamentally think it’s the right thing to do, not for myself as a presentation measure, but to protect others and alleviate the pressure on the health system,” he said.
“The Gold Coast needs to get back to business as usual, and the only way to do this is for everyone to get vaccinated or at least the majority of us.
“Let’s get this show on the road.”
GCH said when registering online for an appointment people with underlying health conditions should choose the “persons 16 and over with an underlying health condition, including people with a disability” cohort. To register visit vaccinebookings.health.qld.gov.au/registerforvaccination/
The Albert Waterways Vaccination Centre is open Monday-Friday, 7am-2.45pm. It is closed on the weekend. The GCUH Pfizer hub is open 7.30am-9pm Monday to Friday, closed weekends.
MASSIVE QUEUES FOR Covid JAB AT COAST HOSPITAL
JUNE 2
ARMED with pillows and snacks, desperate residents are arriving at the Gold Coast University Hospital at 4am to line up for the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccination, with some waiting up to eight hours.
It comes as a prominent doctor admits there’s a “lack of clarity” for accessing the Pfizer jab for patients under 50 in the 1b category who it is recommended get it. The same applies for those over 50s who have been advised they aren’t suitable for the AstraZeneca vaccine.
FULL DIGITAL ACCESS: JUST $1 A WEEK FOR FIRST 12 WEEKS
On Tuesday, Lee McDougall left her northern NSW home at 3.15am to wait on the floor outside the GCUH vaccination hub alongside dozens of others desperate to get a Pfizer jab.
“I came up on Monday but was told the queue was eight hours and it was best to arrive super early to wait because those who had appointments took priority,” she said.
“Why aren’t hospitals focusing on groups like those with a disability and people in 1b with health problems before telling everyone on the news to just turn up to a vaccination hub and get it done.”
Ms McDougall, 44, initially registered through Queensland Health’s website for Pfizer as a category 1b patient because she has a primary immunodeficiency. After a week she still did not have an appointment so travelled to the Gold Coast.
“How is it people can just turn up and get the Pfizer when there’s probably thousands like me under 50 in the 1b who did the right thing and registered online (but) still haven’t been given appointment?”
Last month Health Minister Yvette D’Ath publicly encouraged anyone who wanted the jab to attend hubs, and since then GCUH has been inundated with locals wanting the Pfizer vaccine.
According to a health sector insider, the majority turning up were older locals “scared” of having the AstraZeneca vaccine after reports of associated blood clots. The number of clots is much higher if taking the contraceptive people.
The health insider said: “These people are mostly retirees who don’t work so they can sit and wait all day.
Ms McDougall said when it was her turn, no one asked her to provide proof she was a 1b patient but she did have to fill in paperwork inside the hub.
Dr Tanya Unni, who has eight Amtan Medical Centres, said the system of referring patients “was a bit tricky” and there was a “lack of clarity about how and where people can get the Pfizer vaccination”.
For patients clinically assessed as needing the Pfizer over the AstraZeneca, she wrote a letter as “proof” for patients attending the hospital’s Pfizer hub.
“It’s not that easy or that straightforward because I’ve heard mixed stories about people walking in and having the vaccination without a letter while others who’ve registered online are still waiting.”
A Gold Coast Health spokesperson said there were “long waits of five hours plus” at the hub for people without appointments” but this “demonstrates the Gold Coast community’s commitment to protecting itself against COVID-19”.
“Our staff worked diligently to monitor people in the line, keep them updated about wait times and offer options for book a vaccination time, rather than wait in line.
“As physical distancing was challenging at times, everyone was provided with a face mask to wear while they were waiting, and all hospital visitors undertook hand hygiene on entry to the hospital.
“To avoid waiting for vaccination, we recommend people register to be vaccinated on the Queensland Health website.” It is vaccinebookings.health.qld.gov.au/registerforvaccination.
“After people have registered, they’ll be contacted in due course with an email advising available appointments. The email does not come immediately.
“Appointments will be prioritised, with patients in the first phase of the national rollout receiving appointments before those in phase two.”
The spokesperson said over-50s with underlying health conditions making them unsuitable for AstraZeneca vaccine needed a GP to send GCUH a referral.
“After the hospital receives a referral from the GP, the hospital will contact the patient about an appointment. Gold Coast Health currently has adequate supplies of both Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines,” they said.
It advised NSW residents to attend Pfizer vaccine hubs at Tweed Hospital, Lismore or Grafton base hospitals, where residents aged 40-49 can “register their interest” to get the vaccine.
“We congratulate all of the Gold Coasters who have eagerly turned up at our vaccination centres at the Gold Coast University Hospital and Albert Waterways Community Centre to receive a COVID-19 jab,” they said.
SHOT IN THE ARM FOR AGED CARE
GOLD Coast aged care residents and the “majority” of staff who work in them have had their Covid-19 vaccine, says Gold Coast Primary Health Care chairman Dr Roger Halliwell.
It comes as the federal government announced it is reviewing whether it should be mandatory for aged care workers to be vaccinated.
Dr Halliwell said the majority of Gold Coast’s aged care workers had received a Covid-19 shot at the Pfizer hub and aged care residents had “pretty much been covered”.
However, one of the challenges facing the government is the issue of getting consent, because if people aren’t able to give it themselves, a family member who has power of attorney must provide consent for them.
“It’s been a bit challenging and will be something we face as an ongoing issue,” he said.
“There’s also an ongoing mopping-up process happening where people who have just arrived at residential facilities are not vaccinated.
“So we’re working with Gold Coast Health to work out a way of ensuring patients who are leaving hospital for residential care are vaccinated before they leave.”
Originally published as Gold Coast GP Lisa Beecham pushes Covid vaccine race before Victorians sneak in
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